Brake.



UNITED STATES WALTER A. oEowDUs,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7o3,553, dated July 1,1902.

Y Application filed September 16,1901. Serial No. 75,466. (No model.)

l a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Brake,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brakes, and relates particularly to band-brakes.

A primary obj ect of the invention is to provide a brake by means of which the shaft or axle to which it is appliedmay be effectively braked when rotating in either direction.

A brake of my invention is particularly designed and adapted for use on motor-vehicles, but is equally adapted'for use on any shaft which rotates in both directions.

The invention consists of the various features, combinations of features, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings a brake of my invention is fully illustrated.

Figure 1 is a side view of a brake of my invention, partly in section, showing the brake released. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a partial plan. section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a View showing the r'e lation and position of parts for braking the shaft or axle when rotating in the direction indicated bythe arrow. Y

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a revoluble shaft, as the axle of a motor-vehicle, 2 a brake-drum secured to said shaft, and 3 a brake-band applied to said brake-drum. All of the foregoing elements are old in the art and may be of any usual or approved construction.

The ends of the strap 4 of the brake-band 3 vare anchored to a rigid support by means of a connection therewith adapted to permit movement of said brake-band in either direction to apply the brake. In the specific construction shown metal plates 5 are secured to the ends of said brake-bandoutward lugs or projections 6, on which are adapted to engage and normally rest against shoulders or ledges 7 on a bracket 8, secured to a rigid support 9 adjacent to the brake-drum 2, the length of the brake-band being such that when said lugs or projections 6 are both in contact withv their respective stops the brake will be released. Preferably, also, the metal strap is made of elastic or spring metal bent to a larger diameter than the diameter of the drum. Th uswhen the brake is released the elasticity of the strap 4 will disengage the brake-band 3 from the brake-drum 2 and Will prevent said brake-band from adhering to the brake-drum, which would increase the resistance to the rotation of the shaft. As shown, also, the bracket 8 comprises two webs, which extend down one on each side of the brakeband and closely adjacent thereto. Said webs thus form guides adapted to retain the brake-band in operative position upon the brake-drum'.

The endsv of the brake-band 3 are adapted to be depressed into frictional engagement with they brake-drum 2 by a shoe 10, supported so as to be movable toward and from the brake-drum, which overlaps the ends of the brake-band 3 and has mounted in its ends rollers 11, adapted to bear upon the plates 5, secured to the ends of said brake-band. As shown, the shoe 10 is adapted to be depressed into desired frictional engagement with the plates 5 by means of an eccentric 12, mounted in the Webs of the bracket S. Preferably, also, a strap 13, secured to said shoe, passes over said eccentric 12, whereby said shoe may be raised out of contact with the plates 5 When it is desired to release the brake.

As shown, rotation is adapted to be imparted to the eccentric 12 by means ofa lever 14, secured to the projecting end of the pivotpin 15 of said eccentric 12, said lever being connected to a hand or foot lever (not shown) by Vmeans of a rod 16.

The operation of my improved brake is as follows It being desired to apply the brake,

the eccentric l2 is thrown, by means of its described connections, soas to depress the shoe, and thus force the ends of the brake-band into frictional engagement with thebrakedrum. Such frictional engagement of said brake-band With the rotating brake-drum will tend to impart movement to said brakeband circumferentially of said brake-drum in the direction of rotation thereof. The

rollers 11, which bear upon what may be IOO called the front end of the brake-band when referred to the directionv of rotation of the brake-drum,will permit movement of said brake-band with said drum until said brakeband is drawn tightlydown upon said drum, after which further movement of said brakeband will be prevented by the stops which connect the rear end of said brake-band to the support or bracket S. Additional pressure on said shoe l() will only draw the brakeband into lighter and more eilicient engagement with the brake-drum.

Practical tests have demonstrated that my improved brake is very elicient. So powerful is it, in fact, that there is danger of skidding the Wheels in setting the brake. To obviate this, I prefer to make the rod 1G in sections connected by a compression-spring, (not shown,) whereby the brake will always be set with substantially uniform power.

I claim- 1. A bandbrake comprising a drum, a brake-band applied thereto, means relatively to which said brake-band is movable to force the ends of said brake-band into frictional engagement with said brake-drum and stops which limit the movement of said brake-band circumferentially of said drum, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, a support adjacent to said drum to which the ends of the brake-band are anchored by means of a movable connection, a shoe supported so as to be movable toward and from the brake-drum which overlaps the ends of the brake-band and means to impart movement to said shoe toward said brake-d rum, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, a support adjacent to said drum to which the ends of the brake-band are anchored by means of a movable connection, a shoe supported so as to be movable toward and from the brake drum, rollers mounted therein adapted to bear upon the ends of the brake-band and means to impart movement to said shoe toward the brakedrum, substantially as described.

l. The combination with a revoluble shaft, ot' a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, plates secured to the ends of said brake-band, a support adjacent to said drum to which the ends of the brakeband are anchored by means of a movable connection, a shoe supported so as to be movable toward and from the brake drum, rollers mounted in said shoe adapted to bear upon the plates secured to the brake-band and means to impart movement to said shoe toward the brake-drum, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a brake-drum secured thereto,a brake-band applied to said drum, a support to which the ends of the brake-band are anchored by means ot' a movable connection, a shoe supported therein so as to be movable toward and from the brake-drum, rollers mounted in said shoe and adapted to bear upon the ends of the brake-band and means to impart movement to said shoe toward the brake-drum, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, a support to which the ends of the brake-band are anchored by means of a movable connection, said support comprising webs or fianges which closely embrace the sides of the band, a shoe supported therein so as to be movable toward and from the brakedrum, rollers mounted in said shoe adapted to bear upon the ends of said brake-band and means to impart movement to said shoe toward said brake-drum, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, a support, stops thereon adapted to limit the movement of said brakeband, a shoe, rollers therein adapted to bear upon the ends of said brake-band, an eccentric mounted in said support and adapted to depress said shoe and means to throw said eccentric, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said drum, a support, plates secured to said brakeband,stops on said plates adapted to engage rigid portions of said support, a shoe, rollers therein adapted to bear upon the plates on said brake-band, an eccentric mounted in said support adapted to depress said shoe and means to throw said eccentric, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a revoluble shaft, of a drum secured thereto, a brake-band applied to said brake-drum, a support, shoulders or ledges thereon, plates secured to said brake-band, projections on said plates adapted to engage the shoulders or ledges on said plates, a shoe, rollers therein adapted to bear upon the plates on said brake-band, an eccentric mounted in said support adapted to depress said shoe, a strap on said shoe which passes over said eccentric and means to throw said eccentric, substantially as-described.

lO. A band-brake comprising a drum, a brake-band applied thereto, rollers revolubly mounted above the ends of said brake-band so as to be movable toward and from the brake-drum, means to depress said rollers upon the ends of said brake-band, and stops which limit the movement of said brake-band circumferentially of said drum, substantially as described.

1l. A band brake comprising a drum a brake-band applied thereto, plates secured to the ends of said brake-band, rollers revolubly mounted above said plates so as-to be movmyinvention Iafx my signature, in presence able toward and from the brake-drum, means of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of to depress said rollers upon the plates on said August, A. D. 1901;

brake-band and stops adapted to limit the WALTER A. CROWDUS. 5 movement of said brake-band ciroumferen- Witnesses:

tially of said drum,substantially as described. ARTHUR W. UNDERWOOD,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as JOHN A. MCKEOWN. 

